Spring Drive-in movies at TCA
DRIVE-IN MOVIES are an American invention — the first opened on June 6, 1933, in Camden, N.J. It was the ingenuity of movie connoisseur Richard Hollingshead, who began exploring the concept by showing movies in his home driveway. This morphed into different setup variations of projector, screen, sound and the spacing between cars, which ultimately became “The Automobile Movie Theater” advertised as a movie experience where “The whole family is welcome, regardless of how noisy the children are.”
When the movie industry began converting movies from film to digital, a technically-advanced setup was required for drive-ins to continue operating, so many were closed because of the cost of an upgrade. Today, there are a few hundred drive-ins in operation in the United States.
Taos Center for the Arts (TCA) is offering a diverse lineup of films in their spring drive-in movie series, starting Friday (March 25) with the Stanley Kubrick classic “Dr. Strangelove or, How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” and ending the season with the 1986 musical fantasy film “Labyrinth,” directed by Jim Henson, on Wednesday
(May 4) which includes David Bowie as The Goblin King. TCA meticulously curated the series to include something for everybody, and a dusting off of classics you may not have seen for years or have been on your movie bucket list.
While the TCA drive-in is not a dedicated
“automobile movie theater,” the concept behind the pop-up series is good and sustainable in a world where pandemic closures and regulations have become a way of life. You can socially distance yourself while enjoying a movie with family and friends in a friendly community atmosphere.
Parking is on a first-come, first-serve basis and is limited, so it is advised you show up early so you’re not disappointed. The picture is projected onto the back wall of the theater, so you definitely have a drive-in movie experience with a big screen. The audio is transmitted to your vehicle stereo system through FM transmission. There will be portable radios available if you have issues with your vehicle stereos or you decide to perch on the hood of your car or sit in a chair nearby.
Tickets are priced per vehicle and begin at $10. This is the suggested price for one person in a vehicle. Warm blankets are recommended for the sometimes chilly Taos spring evenings if you opt to sit outside or on the hood of your car — and the hot buttered popcorn the TCA is famous for will be available for purchase. The last of the series happens Wednesday (May 4). Tempo has provided the lineup schedule in this issue, check the TCA website for any schedule changes and details. Get your tickets in advance at tcataos.org/ tickets. For questions about the series, contact info@tcataos.org or call TCA at 575-758-2052.